Banana Fish

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Banana Fish is a work that gets better the closer you are to “I basically only read shoujo manga”. It is certainly more unusual in its genre, but it’s an “uniqueness” that starts to pale once it’s being compared to more varied works.

First thing that is obviously different from a regular shoujo manga is the artstyle. It’s not frilly and sparkly, it’s clean and readable, overall looking more “mature”. Well, “mature” being a double-edged sword as it also ends up looking as some BL works. That said, it is certainly a change for better over the standard. Both at that time and the current. Still, ... it does get a bit stale and uninteresting, there are some panels that are nice but there isn’t a single panel or page that will make you go “wow”. Being a dialogue heavy piece it doesn’t waste that much resources on the illustrations which is a pity.

Now for the story itself, I can’t really say there was a part that piqued my interest. In a core, it’s just a basic “you took something important from a mafia, now you become an outlaw as they try to get it from you and get their revenge". In a fact, it’s exactly that, but also most of the cast is gay. Not explicitly *shown*, but the dialogue makes sure to mention it. Or at least allude to it, in cases of more minor (pun not intended) characters. Anyway, it drags on way too long with little points of interest, would I not have a no drop policy I would have long dropped this before getting in the half of the manga. Sure, it does have themes usually not seen in shoujo manga such as drugs, prostitution/sex trafficking or actual murders, but that those themes alone does not make it good. It’s how those themes are treated that decides it. It also isn’t “mature” just because of those themes. At first I wanted to at least commend it for not fetishizing the rape (that much) and for a more serious portrayal of it. That was until the “I just got gangbanged, come here my ex-husband, let’s make out” scene. Also, the Dino ex machina in the final fight and the finale after that felt really underwhelming.

One of the main reasons why the story is not entertaining is because the protagonist just isn’t interesting. Sure, he has some childhood trauma, but other than being raped he’s pretty much a Gary Stu. Stunning looks, charismatic personality, great combat ability both hand-to-hand and armed and most of all, a fucking genius. Literally. Dude has an IQ over 180, which is something very few people have. Does it actually have an impact on the story though? No, not really. It’s just the author flexing on the reader with this random revelation, but nowhere in the story Ash feels as an actually genius. Not dumb? Sure. Clever? I guess. But he is simply not written as a genius. And no, “but it gets cancelled out by his personality” doesn’t count as an explanation.

Overall, I would recommend just watching the anime instead as it has better pacing and cuts out some parts (which is actually an improvement in this case) and the MAPPA animation does great service to the watchability of it.